The Kentucky Horse Council announced a new program to assist those horses whose owners cannot provide adequate feed due to temporary financial setbacks.

The Equine Safety Net program is designed to provide a 30-day supply of feed for horses when the owner is having temporary financial difficulties and is unable to supply adequate nutrition. This program is for individuals only, and is not intended for professional equine businesses. The applicants can apply for feed for a maximum of two horses, and may receive assistance once during a two-year period. Applicants must also provide evidence that they have provided responsible care for their horses in the recent past.

To be considered for the assistance, the individual can be referred by a Kentucky Horse Council member. If they do not know a Horse Council member, they may call the Kentucky Horse Council office directly, where additional information will be requested for proof of eligibility.

“This program highlights the Kentucky Horse Council’s genuine concern for the health and welfare of horses in our state. Often a horse owner is truly caring of their horses, but may run into an unpredictable financial circumstance, which forces them to make some very tough choices. This program provides for their animals while giving the owner some time to decide what alternatives they have regarding the long-term care of the horses,” stated Madelyn Millard, President of the Kentucky Horse Council.

In order to apply for the Equine Safety Net program, please contact a Kentucky Horse Council member to refer you, or call the office directly at (859) 367-0509 and request Safety Net assistance.

The Kentucky Horse Council is a nonprofit organization dedicated, through education, to the protection, growth and development of the equine industry in Kentucky. For more information about the Kentucky Horse Council, visit www.kentuckyhorse.org.